Asparagus plant named &#39;Spartacus&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct male variety of asparagus plant having thick and uniform spears.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application claims the benefit of priority from U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application No. 62/600,984, filed Mar. 7, 2017, which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Botanical classification: Asparagus officinalis.

Varietal denomination: ‘Spartacus’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct asparagus plant knownby the varietal name ‘Spartacus’. The new variety is the result of aplanned breeding program conducted by the inventors in 2007 in TheNetherlands. The purpose of the breeding program was to develop 100%male hybrid asparagus varieties suitable for green harvesting inparticular warm or cool climate types that exhibit good diseasetolerance and a desirable eating quality. ‘Spartacus’ is the result ofthe crossing of an Asparagus officinalis variety referred to by theapplicant as 08009 (female parent, unpatented) with an Asparagusofficinalis variety referred to by the applicant as 08010 (male parent,unpatented). The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Spartacus’ wasconducted in 2010 by crown division in The Netherlands. ‘Spartacus’ hasbeen trial and field tested and has been found to retain its distinctivecharacteristics and remain true to type through successive propagations.The present invention has not been evaluated under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations inenvironment without a change in the genotype of the plant.

‘Spartacus’ is a high-branching fern, similar to its female parent.‘Spartacus’ is similar to both of its parental varieties in having astrong tolerance against foliar diseases and asparagus root rot(Fusarium oxysporum). However, ‘Spartacus’ exhibits more uniform andthicker stems than both of its parental varieties.

When compared to asparagus variety named ‘Guelph Millenium’(unpatented), ‘Spartacus’ is similar to ‘Guelph Millenium’ in havinggreen spears with anthocyanin coloration on their bracts and tips at thestage of harvesting. However, ‘Spartacus’ exhibits thicker spears thatare more uniform in size than those of ‘Guelph Millenium’. Further, theintensity of the color of ‘Spartacus’ is lighter than ‘GuelphMillenium’.

When compared to other asparagus varieties known to the applicant,‘Spartacus’ exhibits a very uniform spear size for harvesting.‘Spartacus’ also exhibits good field tolerance, as well as toleranceagainst foliar diseases and asparagus root rot (Fusarium oxysporum).Further, the spears of ‘Spartacus’ are tender, with good eating andkeeping qualities.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographic drawings taken at approximately one yearof age illustrate the new variety, with the color being as nearly trueas is possible with color illustrations of this type:

FIG. 1 shows a shows a view of a plant of the new variety;

FIG. 2 shows a view of multiple plants of the new variety;

FIG. 3 shows close-up view of a plant of the new variety; and

FIG. 4 shows cut spears of the new variety.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following detailed description sets forth the characteristics of thenew variety. Plants of the new variety were soil grown in theNetherlands under open field conditions under natural light. The colorreadings and measurements were taken outdoors in the Netherlands undernatural light on approximately one year old plants. Color references areprimarily to The 2015 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal HorticulturalSociety of London, Sixth Edition.

-   Stalks:    -   -   Number of branches.—56.        -   Typical and observed branch color.—Approximately 139A.        -   Number of nodes below the first branch.—13.        -   Distance from the crown to the first branch.—45 cm.        -   Number of cladophyll nodes between the first and last            branch.—38.        -   Distance between the first and last branch.—130 cm.        -   Number of cladophyll nodes beyond the last branch.—22.        -   Number of centimeters beyond the last branch.—11.1 cm.        -   Internode length between branches.—2.3 cm.        -   Internode length beyond the last branch.—5.5 cm.        -   Average number of stalks.—10.        -   Largest stalk diameter.—16 mm.        -   Mean diameter of three largest stalks.—15 mm.        -   Length of highest headed stalk.—175 cm.        -   Color of stalk below the first branch, bloom            removed.—Between 139A and 140B.        -   Color of stalk between the first and last branch, bloom            removed.—Between 139A and 140B.        -   Color of stalk beyond the last branch, bloom            removed.—Between 139A and 140B.-   Flowers:    -   -   Flowers.—Length: 6 mm. Width at midpoint: 4 mm. Number of            flowers per cluster (flowering node): 13. Longevity on the            plant: Medium.        -   Petals.—Not applicable, only tepals are present.        -   Tepals.—Number of whorls: 1. Number of tepals per whorl: 6.            Colors: Lower (abaxial) base: Between 139C and 139D. Lower            (abaxial) tip: Approximately 155C. Lower (abaxial) midrib:            Between 139C and 139D. Lower (abaxial) margins:            Approximately 155C. Upper (adaxial) base: Between 139C and            139D. Upper (adaxial) tip: Approximately 155C. Upper            (adaxial) midrib: Between 139C and 139D. Upper (adaxial)            margins: Approximately 155C. Outer tepal length: 6 mm. Outer            tepal width: 2 mm. Inner tepal length: 6 mm. Inner tepal            width: 2 mm. Midrib of outer tepals, width: 0.7 mm. Midrib            of inner tepals, width: 0.6 mm.        -   Flower stalk peduncles.—Length: 19 cm. Diameter: 1 mm.            Color: Approximately 139A.        -   Flower stalk pedicels.—Length: 5 mm. Diameter: 0.3 mm.            Color: Upper section: Approximately 160A. Lower section:            Approximately 200A.-   Fruit: Not applicable, as ‘Spartacus’ is a male variety and no fruit    is developed.-   Cladophylls:    -   -   Average number per node.—3 to 4.        -   Length.—9 mm.        -   Width.—0.3 mm.        -   Shape.—Overall: Acicular. Apex: Pointed. Base: Pointed.        -   Margin type.—Entire.        -   Color.—Between 144A and 144B.-   Leaves: Not applicable, only cladophylls are present.-   Reproduction organs:    -   -   Gynoecium.—Not applicable, as ‘Spartacus’ is a male variety.        -   Androecium.—Stamens: Number: 6. Length: 3 mm. Anthers:            Length: 0.7 mm. Color: Approximately 14B. Pollen: Color:            Approximately 14B. Amount: Minimal. Filaments: Length:            2.3 mm. Color: Approximately 155C.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of asparagus plant, as is hereinillustrated and described.